Perfectly sweet and slightly tart, this easy recipe for Lemon Crinkle Cookies are like a ray of sunshine on a plate!
Pucker up buttercup!
OK guys, raise your hand if you’re a fan of lemony desserts! (I’ve got both hands up!)
There’s just something so refreshing about a dessert jam-packed with lemon flavor. It brightens up any day. Don’t you think?
These Lemon Crinkles Cookies are triple the lemon flavor. They’ve got lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract. I also used a bit of yellow gel food coloring, so they’d immediately scream luscious lemon flavor ahead! Totally optional, but a must for me.
These cookies are sweet, yet slightly tart. They’re soft and fluffy and they’ve got a cake-like consistency with a crispy outside and a melt-in-your-mouth inside! I think you’ll find them absolutely irresistible! Enjoy!
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 10 Tbsp. unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 tsp. lemon extract
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- yellow gel food coloring if desired
- For Rolling:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar sifted
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the lemon juice, zest, lemon and vanilla extracts, and yellow gel food coloring (if desired) until you read desired color. Mix until well blended.
- Turn the mixer to low, and slowly add the flour mixture just until combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. I find refrigerating the dough for a few hours helps with stickiness and makes it easier to make the cookies into balls and roll in the sugar.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Pour 1/2 cup granulated sugar into a small bowl and 1/2 cup sifted confectioner's sugar into another small bowl.
- Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll dough into 1-1 1/2 Tbsp. balls. Roll each ball first in the granulated sugar, then in the confectioner's sugar. Place on prepared sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes.
- Let cool on tray for five minutes, then remove to rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.
I LOVE lemon flavoured stuff and crinkle cookies are just the cutest! It’s like magic how they work, isn’t it?? I could eat a big ol’ stack of these and not even bat an eye! Pinning! Thanks for sharing another wicked recipe, Mary Ann! Have a wonderful weekend :)
Me too Dawn! I could have eaten a whole plate of these! So perfect as a little afternoon treat. Hope you have a great weekend too!
Both of my hands AND my feet are waving around in the air,because I love me some lemon flavored everything!! Naturally these cookies are calling my name! Crinkle cookies are so delish, but lemon crinkle cookies?!? Gimme dat! Pinned! Cheers, dear! XO
Woot woot! I knew you’d go for these Chey since chocolate is not an option for you. They’re so delicious! Enjoy!
Lemon desserts are a favorite of ours too and crinkly cookies are always irresistible. Looks like you’ve come up with a winner!
These cookies are so refreshing Chris!
Whoa these look soooooo delicious! Perfect summer treat! Pinning!!!
Thanks so much for pinning Kim! These are so easy and I agree, perfect for summer! Happy weekend!
These are my kind of cookie Mary Ann!!! I absolutely love any kind of citrus sweet, but lemon is my hands down favorite. Definitely going to give these a whirl!!
So glad Lindsay! They’re so delish. If you love lemon flavor, you’re going to LOVE these! Happy weekend!
These look INCREDIBLE Mary Ann!!! My dad loves lemony desserts — I can’t wait to make these for him!!!! xoxoxo
Thanks so much Rebecca! He’ll love these. Triple packed with lemon flavor! Happy weekend!
Both of my hands are in the air Mary Ann! Lemon totally flips my switch. The crackly tops are to perfection. Save me two!
Will do Traci! These are so refreshing!
That crinkle and cake-like consistency are perfection! And I am all about anything lemon! I have a dinner next weekend, and these beauties will most certainly be coming along! Pinned!
Yay! Hope they’re a hit Annie! Happy weekend!
I LOVE lemon crinkle cookies!!!
What’s not to love, right?!
These cookies are gorgeous and perfect! I love a good crinkle cookie!
Thanks Alice! Me too!
Anything lemon is totally my jam! These look wonderful! Great color.
Mine too Natasha! Thanks so much!
These remarks be me of childhood when my mom would make similar ones, though these look way better. Sorry mom!
Ha! Poor Mom! I won’t tell Matt!
My hands and feet are all up in the air. LOVELOVELOVE lemon desserts! I don’t think there’s a more refreshing way to get my sugar fix than a handful of these gorgeous cookies :). Have a great (and cookie-filled!) weekend, Mary Ann!
Who doesn’t love a lemon dessert, right?! You too Kelsie!
Such a bright, fun, and summery cookie! Lemon bars are always a favorite of mine so I am absolutely sure that I would love these cute crinkles. Looks so good with that turquoise background too. :)
I love anything with lemon flavor Emily. Yes, I’d definitely agree, if lemon bars are a favorite these certainly will be too! I love yellow and turquoise together! So summery!
Oh dear ! My cup of tea, really ! Thank you !
You’re quite welcome! Enjoy!
Crispy outside? Cake-like texture? Lemon, lemon and lemon? You’ve nailed it!!! These look so great Mary Ann. They are absolutely sunshine in a cookie. Have a great weekend!! XO
Thanks Katherine! I could eat way more than my share of these!
I love crinkle cookies and these are perfection – bring on the lemon! :)
Me too Laura! Woohoo!
I am a total sucker for anything lemon, I so want to make these and so don’t at the same time. I’m afraid if I do, I’ll eat them all without sharing!
I’ve got the same problem Matt!
These cookies are absolutely gorgeous! I love lemony desserts, but no one in my family does! I don’t make them cause then there will be too much left over! I wish I could taste your cookies! yummy!
Oh no! I can’t believe no one goes for lemon desserts at your house Amisha! You can always make a batch and then freeze them. Then you can pull one or two out when the craving hits and enjoy!
There is something so cheerful about these lemon crinkle cookies!! I don’t know if it’s the bright pop of yellow or your gorgeous photography :) I am not great with cookie baking..But these look and sound so yummy! Might as well try once!!
Thanks so much Deepika! I hope you give them a try!
Both hands are up and waving! I love lemon and my mouth is watering just looking at these cookies! I’m loving ’em!!!
So glad Kathy! I’m a total lemon dessert lover!
This reminds me of a favorite cookie my aunt used to make but she used lemon cake mix. No offense to my Aunt Trish but these look better! Can’t wait to try them out and bring back memories!
Sorry Aunt Trish!
Oh wow, these look incredible! I’m in love with lemons but some of the lemon cookies I’ve made in the past have turned out dry. These look super moist and yummy. Cannot wait to try!
Hope you enjoy these Kelly! Let me know how you like them!
I love lemon cookies, Mary Ann – these would be gone in a flash at my home! Hope you’re having a great weekend.
Me too Geraldine! They don’t last long at ours either! My weekend was great. Hope yours was too!
These are so beautiful! I love lemon cookies but have never encountered them as crinkles – how delicious! Thank you for sharing, MaryAnn! :)
Thank you so much Nicole! I absolutely LOVE lemon desserts! They always brighten the day!
Yummy, I love anything lemony and your lemon crinkle cookies are new to me. I like the idea of keeping the dough in the fridge.
Both hands up here in Northern NJ! I’m a crinkle cookie lover, and these are going on my gotta make them list – the Southern husband is going to be sooooooo happy!
Woohoo! Tell me how he likes them!
I never seem to have any luck with lemon flavored anything, the lemon gets lost! I have to try these cookies, they look dreamy!
I think you’ll enjoy them Sam! Let me know!
These sound way better then my version although Dave will gobble them down in no time (just made with lemon cake mix and a tub of Cool-Whip no doubt!). Perfect summer cookie!
I’m sure anything you whip up is spectacular Kevin! I’ll have to try your version!
These photos literally made my mouth water – gorgeous and I LOVE lemony desserts, so both hands up for me too!
Woohoo! I know you’d love these Marissa!
Yes please! Absolutely perfect cookies. Pretty and delicious :) I’ll take a dozen!
You got it Jennifer!
Sounds delicious, but do I really need a stand-up mixer (because I don’t have one)?
No, you don’t need a stand mixer Donna. It’s just easier. You can absolutely mix by hand. Just make sure you beat by hand until the butter mixture is light and fluffy.
Great! I was thinking you would say that. Just wanted to confirm. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hope you love them!
These are my favorite, you’re a master crinkler!
Ha! Thanks Sue!
Hi, Mary Ann,
Im wondering how many grams of butter it would be if converted?Thanks so much. I so love the color and didn’t know you can use lemon too for crinkles aside from the usual chocolate and red velvet ones.Lemon is kinda expensive here so I substituted kalamansi for it in a cupcake/muffin but I would definitely use lemon for this.
Hi Gee Ann. 10 tablespoons of butter equals about 141.75 grams. These lemon crinkles are so refreshing and addictive! I love anything with lemon flavor. Hope you enjoy them too!
Hi, another question please.How long would these cookies last in room temp?Thanks so much.
Hi Gee Ann. These cookies will stay fresh for up to 3 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze them for up to 4 months. Enjoy!
Hi
I made these a bunch of times and everybody loves them at my house. The only problem I have is with the crinkle, I roll them in sugar and after in coffectionate but when I cook them it all seems to melt… is there an advice you could give me? Thank you!
Hi Laura. Are you refrigerating the dough before making into balls and coating in the sugar? And just make sure you roll the ball and coat heavily in the confectioner’s sugar. Roll and reroll, even if you think it looks like too much. Hope that helps next time. Thanks so much for following along at the BHK!
I was wondering how many cookies a does a batch make? I have a pretty big family to bake for and I want to be certain there will enough for everyone! They look delicious
Hi Kathy. This recipe will make about 24 cookies. Hope you all enjoy! Thanks so much for following!
Ok, thank you for the quick response! :)
Hello! These cookies look so lovely. Can this recipe be halved to make a small batch?
Sure. Enjoy!
Hello! These look amazing but I don’t have any lemon extract- could I make a substitution?
I do have lemon curd in the freezer which could somehow be incorporated…
Hey there. Why don’t you just add more lemon zest. How about another teaspoon. Enjoy!